Roodhouse, Illinois During his 2010 campaign for Greene County Sheriff, Rob McMillion stated one of his priorities if elected would be to “aggressively [investigate] criminal activity”. That’s why, when he received complaints of horses starving to death with carnage on the ground that Wednesday evening, it was dark, he waited until after the corpses of nine to eleven horses had been buried prior to making his “surprise” visit. With budgetary cutbacks, I guess flashlights were the first to be cut from the department. Besides that, we’re simply talking about animals. Horses aren’t bound to complain. Or are they? You tell me.

Nope. That one isn’t going to complain. It can’t. Death tends to silence everything. So let’s try a pasture-mate. How about this?

Damn it. That one is dead as well. I’m going to have to go through almost a dozen pictures to find one who might actually relay the living hell that’s being suffered in a rural horse farm outside of Roodhouse, Illinois. Maybe these, once majestic beasts, can best tell the story:

When Scott and LaNise Kirk decided to check out a property they heard may be for sale, they stumbled upon the horror scene. At that time, they discovered nine dead horses laying on the ground and the remaining horses that were still alive, weren’t far behind in their fate.

Thinking something would be done, it appears this couple did everything possible in alerting authorities. The Central Illinois Horse Rescue Society was contacted…they contacted the IL Department of Agriculture. The sheriff’s department was contacted. So was the owner. Well, I don’t think the Kirks alerted the owner – it was more like the Dept. of Ag. As a courtesy. Something like: “Hey, a couple snooped on your land and found out you may be a sadistic cunt. Unfortunately, I need to send someone out to investigate so I’ll tell you what: You head out there and put some food out and we’ll just sweep this incident under the rug. There’s nothing we can really do if there’s food. What do they eat? Oh, let me look…hay. Maybe some oats. Shit like that. Maybe one of your neighbors would know where you’d find something like that. Oh, one more thing. Bury the eye-sores. You’ll never sell that property the way it is now. See you then!!”

While the italicized conversation is imagined, what is factual is this: Stacey Kempf, the alleged owner of this concentration camp for horses contacted her neighbor, Art Churchill, to deliver a couple of bales of hay in preparation for the investigator. She also asked him to operate an excavator to bury the remains of the horses that were littering the ground. And as the party convened, (the owner, the investigator – Stacy Ballard, and Churchill), Art was shocked with what he saw. He ended up burying thirteen carcasses that day. He also stated they watched a horse thrash around on the ground because it was too weak to stand. From starvation. From neglect. Because it was indeed dying right in front of them. And what’s a good investigator with the Dept of Ag do in a situation like that? You’ve got it. Turn and walk away. You know, denial is a powerful tool. So is complacency. My guess is Ms. Ballard left that farm and made sure she got a nice meal that evening. After all, we’re just talking about starving animals. It’d really be a situation if they had been starving people. It’s easy to look the other way. Or is it?

There have been rumors the selfish and barbaric owner has thought about pressing charges against the Kirks for trespassing on her property. And it may be true. The Kirks did return to continue to gather evidence via pictures and video. They also returned with food for these helpless animals. And I can swear to God, if any State’s Attorney assists this monster, we’ll not rest until they’re out of office. The same can be said for Ms. Ballard, who seemed to be satisfied these horses were okay where they were because there was visible food set out for them.

What about their emaciated state? What about the fact thirteen carcasses were buried per her request with the legal depth requirement disclosed to Mr. Churchill? What happened to being able to see these horses that were struggling with life needed immediate veterinary care or to be euthanized? What happened to common sense?

It’s been three weeks since the Kirks came forward with their discovery. In the last few days, the owner (again the alleged owner is Stacey Kempf), has relinquished possession of the remaining horses to Steve Alexander, of the Central Illinois Horse Rescue Society. Although this is the only fortunate step in this case thus far, the owner still needs to be held accountable for the thirteen deaths and the 20 emaciated horses that were sure to meet their death as well. Since the owner’s name is well connected, and since the local media have refused to publish her name or any of the photographs, it’s my assumption they’re going to wait this one out with no arrests and wait for people to forget about it and go back to bitching about gas prices.

Fuck that shit. This “owner” is responsible for sucking the soul out of an animal with the most expressive eyes. She did so knowingly and willingly. To me, this act alone is one of the worst that can be performed by a human…to sit back and watch animals die from starvation, knowing their fate is in your hands. Watching hope slip out of their eyes. Take a look for yourselves.

A special thank you to Mr. Kirk for the use of his pictures. And to he and his wife for the love and compassion shown in coming forward with this story.

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We Love Our Horses-Amen to everything you said. She had to make a quick trip to walmart to get the black hair dye and well, we all know she was probably at McDonalds for quite a while that shows in her picture. But she is busy practicing her lies that she is going to tell the judge on Monday and finishing her scrapbook of her horse ranch that she can show her alumni at the next meeting at Quincy Notre Dame. Even if she doesn’t lose her job at corrections, she should realize that she will be spending the most horrible 8 hours, oh pardon me, she works a lot of overtime 8 plus hours each day that she can ever imagine. Every resident or convict in the state will know who she is, no matter where she goes, they will know and her life there will be extremely miserable. I really can’t see that the state of Illinois can afford any lawsuit from a family member of any of the young residents that she has dealt with in the past, present or future. Maybe she can get a job with the Department of Agriculture, she has experience now.

WTF, what is wrong with this country. If you can not feed them then give them away to homes that people can at least feed them and take care of them. Lets put those ass holes in jail that savages they are and feed them just water for a week to see what it is like to starve and have not funcken food in frount of them. this should be punshialbe by death to the people that treat these horses like this. If they do it to an animal then they have no respect for life for any animal or even a human. Someone needs to do something. If I saw this going on you better bet I would try to help these horses even if it met trasspassing to save these horses. Someone step up the the plate and help these horses.

This needs to be taken to a federal level who has enough knoledge or guts to do this? PETA and many National organizations could take her down. This is Federal Animal Welfare Act. Charges need to be brought. Contact PETA and they can direct you to many organizations to take her down in the legal system. This would be a landmark case that would scare the bejesus out out of animal abusers to know that even someone that deseased in the legal protection organizations will pay the price as well. Lets do it and please give me a facebook link. spread the name on Facebook also and let everyone know who and what she is. Get a out of state news crew and 20/20 and 60 minutes. There are ways around her hick click.Look in their eyes they need us to do this so it NEVER happens again!

PETA has been aware since before I wrote and published this story. They’ll only get involved if there’s nekked people. Derision meant. I don’t know what it is they do anymore – they’re clearly only interested in certain “what can we gain from this” abuses.

I too am from Central Illinois. The farmer that owned the land next to my family (my family had one of the two houses in the square mile – the rest was farmland) put out piles of arsenic powder and corn all around the edges of his field. It killed my two dogs, dozens of birds, squirrels, field mice, and other animals. We found animal bodies everywhere. The Dept. of Agriculture refused to do anything. I am starting to cry just thinking about it. God I loved those dogs.

If they really did put Arsenic powder out you should have called your state’s Dept of Environmental Protection (or whatever they call it). Arsenic is not a good thing to be spreading, even in minute quantities, on soil for numerous reasons. Many parts of the country are still quite contaminated from the fact we used to bathe cows in it 80+ years ago.

Oh no! Not field mice. Who the hell cares about field mice. Asshole, you listed field mice as a concern and then said “and other animals”. You either legitimately think field mice population and them suffering is some point of concern or “other animals” are actually insects like grasshoppers. Either way you are a douche bag.

Quote: “WTF, what is wrong with this country. If you can not feed them then give them away to homes that people can at least feed them and take care of them. ”

Lol, well, that’s pretty easy to answer. I isn’t actually the country at fault here. Rather, it is the people’s fault. We have a lot of stupid people running around, people who probably would have been culled out if this was the age of ponies, swords, and herbal medicines (Natural Selection anyone? 😀 ). Sadly, in these moderns times, technology as has allowed really anyone to survive. We can become grossly fat while at the same time starving our horses, and it really doesn’t matter because A) we don’t need to run from the tigers (unless we are the morons who climb into wild animal’s cages and then act all shocked when they are savaged) and B) the world doesn’t revolve around agriculture anymore, so people aren’t horribly bothered if their starving horses die.

Anyway, I think anyone who is so lazy and desensitized as to think leaving all their dead horses to rot in their pasture, most likely has some severe mental problems, and perhaps should be put away somewhere. (Like jail… For a long time… Not a $1000 fine and a smack on the wrist, which I wouldn’t be surprised to see with this lady).

As for the “Me” person above, well, I don’t like people, so get over that. 😀

it is just a bunch of stupid horses.. who fucking cares. they are walking mincemeat anyway. there are people out there starving everyday and this ridiculous animals are of more concern to the public.. thats whats wrong with not only this country but the whole damn world

This is sickening. I cried when my goldfish died! How could someone torture a living animal like that? And for those of you who don’t care that they are starving to death, it may not matter necessarily to you that horses are dying, but in such a foul, inhumane way? At least cattle are killed humanely. In that way cows are luckier than horses. Horses aren’t legal to eat, so they only get killed with neglect and starvation, while cows get the special treatment until they are killed quickly. I’m a vegetarian, so it’s not like I like that cows are killed anyway, but at the very least it isn’t a horrifying experience.

I’ve been fortunate to develop a number of solid sources who’re in all professions. This story was relayed to me today:

A saleswoman walked into a business in another small Central Illinois town (yesterday or this morning) that’s owned by Stacey Kempf’s father. The ex-sheriff. He allegedly asked what was going on with the Sheriff in Schuyler County, IL and stated the press just had it all wrong. Just like they’re vilifying his daughter who had the horses. Don’t you know, she just got those horses because they were old – she wanted to give them someplace to live out the last days of their lives. She didn’t starve them.

The news never mentioned that most of the horses were old and she took them to let them die peacefully, you know, live out their lives

She also didn’t bury them because the ground was frozen.

I suppose she’s convinced her lawyer, her family, and her friends of her story. The horses were all old. All dying anyway.

I’d suggest, if any of the previous owners live in the area, to contact the State’s Attorney, give records if you have them. Prevent her from using this lie.

okay so the horses were old? ok so ur grandma is old lets just put her in a mud pit and let her fen for herself? i dont give a shit how old the horse is,(and your grandma probably has a nice, warm, home that someone does everything for her that she cant do herself) when u have something you have a responsibility, weather it be a dog, fish or a baby. this is ridiculous and some of you -forgive me for my nasty language but there no better name for you– ASSHOLES who think its ok to put who cares about horses, get lost. i bet you have a dog, would you appreciate that if someone was doing this to dogs? thank you for posting this, i will too share this all over facebook, and hope that someone somewhere will help make a difference with this.

ON that website, you will see that the horses are not OLD. It appears that not ALL of them have been adopted. The ones that couldn’t handle going without food for months (speculation) may have been oldER. But who would set up a “geriatric horse farm” out of the kindness of their heart and then NOT feed them? Nonsense. The idea of setting up an old-folks ranch is nice, but you just don’t throw a bunch of old horses in a barn and corral (with no escape) and say, “OK….die”. If they were there to die peacefully and humanely they would’ve been FED, not croaking in knee-deep mud and feces because they’re too weak from starvation to move (Photo documentation).

@Emily: AND, most cows are NOT slaughtered humanely. There are some humane private farms that actually give their cows “special treatment” and maintain that they are humanely slaughtered. Few and far between. Rarely is anything associated with factory farming “humane”. Watch and be educated, the following video, thank you.

Quote: “t is just a bunch of stupid horses.. who fucking cares. they are walking mincemeat anyway. there are people out there starving everyday and this ridiculous animals are of more concern to the public.. thats whats wrong with not only this country but the whole damn world”

Well, you just illustrated a good point. Sadly, your analysis was rather lacking.
Is it really the horses’ fault that people are starving? Is it really horse owner’s faults that other people are starving? I’m going to go out on a limb here and say no, that isn’t true. 🙂
It is actually people just like you that are at fault. In fact, all of us are at fault. It isn’t food shortage that is the problem; it’s lazy people who can’t be bothered to do something about the hunger problems. We are a lazy race of people, who are self-absorbed. Horses aren’t the problem with world hunger. Just saying. :S

So many people have the attitude that ‘they’re just animals, there are starving children (name a place)…’

My response to them is usually ‘just because we care about horses being starved, abused, neglected or slaughtered does NOT mean we don’t care about starving children’.

There is more than enough room in my heart to be concerned with the welfare of all the creatures on this planet.

Also, there is a direct link between abusing animals and abusing people.

And finally, for those who think animal abuse is ‘not as bad’ as other crimes… that’s like saying ‘oh, that man shouldn’t be punished just because he raped that woman, it’s not like he killed her’.

Trolls are just that. Trolls. But if that’s how they really feel, there’s nothing anyone can do to change them. They are callous and cold-hearted, and obviously regard life, in all its forms, with little value.

Normally when horses are “taken in” to provide them a place to live out their senior years, they are NOT bred. The number of stallions, bred mares and very young horses that were involved tells me that they were being used for breeding purposes with the intent of financial gain – NOT just to give them a home!

The “trolls” are no doubt family or friends and perhaps even stacys girlfriend michelle ! Michelle Campbell ! We might as well know all the players ! And to “me” if you dont care what brought you to this site !

Nikki-I believe Grandma is dead. Daddy Gerald Ray moved her poor old ass into a shitty old trailer on the property in Mt. Sterling and he took over the house and the “farm”. I’m sure that is another excuse Miss Piggy is using for her defense, Grandma died and I forgot to feed the horses cause I was too busy eating my pain away. Daddy used to be an undercover drug enforcement cop with the state police, he’s real good at telling little tales. Guess he must be helping Miss Piggy with his amazing disquise techniques also. Wake up Kempf, the people in Jerseyville don’t want you living there, the people in Greene county don’t want you any where near,the people that have to work with you don’t want you, just move back to Brown county from whence you came.

This is truly one of the worst cases of animal neglect and abuse.
and she sure does not look like she has lost any meals. She should be put into a paddock with no food and no water and she how she ends up, oh and this needs to be done in the winter with no shelter or blankets.
she should loose her job, and go straight to jail

Are people going to go to the courthouse???? I would sort of like to go, especially if others are planning to go with signs or whatever. This is appalling and the more we show that we are watching, the more they will know they will be held accountable (from the worthless Kempf to the Dept of Ag inspector, the sheriff, the state’s atty).

Hopefully all that show up Monday will be respectful and calm. I read the article in the SJR this morning and the spin that Dave Bakke put on it was that everyone that has been emotional about this case is “out for blood”. I don’t believe that to be the case. Emotions have run high over the shear atrocity of the case and the lackluster way in which the local authorities have handled it. Including, the arrest of the lady that tried to feed the horses. A lot of “off with her head” comments have been published in and around the internet, but is it any wonder?? Anonymous rage on the internet does not equal acts of violence in reality. While he and others may be “shaking their heads” at the comments, a lot of people are highly PISSED over the situation. That doesn’t mean there is any threat of violence. It just is what it is. Each and every person that shows up on Monday may have their own personal reason for being there, but I think it comes down to the bottom line that citizens are sick and tired of laws protecting potential victims are not being enforced OR they are enforced to varying degrees depending on who ya know, or who ya blow. It is nice to see justice WORK from time to time, and in Greene County it seems like it is something more of a hope than a reality all too often.

The revolting case of horse abuse uncovered a couple of weeks ago in Greene County has brought out the worst and the best in people.

A psychologist would have to explain why people sometimes react more emotionally to animal abuse than they do to the mistreatment of people. But this, in part because of graphic photographs of the horses posted on the web, has provoked intense anger and outrage. It has also inspired acts of benevolence and kindness.

The Internet is at least partially responsible for both. Websites Fugly Horse and Crime Crawlers are throwing gas on the fire. Crime Crawlers posted graphic and heartbreaking pictures of the horses under the headline, “A Horse Concentration Camp Found In Central Illinois.”

Stacey Kempf, 41, was arrested March 14 and charged with multiple counts of animal neglect and abuse, all of them misdemeanors. Eleven to 13 horses died, and more than 20 were found alive in various stages of starvation on her farm near Roodhouse.

The level of anger against Kempf on the web has gone well over the line, with a couple of anonymous commenters calling for her to get the same treatment as was given the horses. The Fugly Horse headline over its post on the case is: “Next resident of hell: Stacey Kempf.”

Kempf’s picture is posted on the web, as is the phone number of her employer, the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice. People are suggesting the department be called with complaints in the hope she will lose her job.

The websites also have posted the phone number of Greene County State’s Attorney Matt Goetten, encouraging people to call to let him know they want this case prosecuted vigorously.

Kempf is scheduled to make her first appearance at the Greene County Courthouse in Carrollton on Monday. Websites are asking people to show up to express their outrage. Greene County Sheriff Robert McMillen says he doesn’t plan to add any extra security, but he is aware that emotions against Kempf are running high, so he will have officers around in the unlikely event a large crowd does show up.

The web and its capability to inflame people across the country over what would otherwise have been a strictly local case of animal abuse adds an extra dimension of concern. Who knows for sure if the people venting angry and sometimes violent comments are serious or just blowing off steam? Who knows if these people are hundreds of miles from Greene County or nearby?

As angry as people are over Kempf’s alleged mistreatment of the horses, they are almost as angry over what happened to Janet Zimmerman. She was watching TV coverage of the case, which included pictures of the horses, when she recognized one of them as a horse she used to have.

According to a story in the Greene Prairie Press, she drove to the farm where the horses were in an attempt to feed them. Instead, she was arrested, taken away in cuffs and charged with criminal trespass, a misdemeanor.

Zimmerman is scheduled to make her first appearance in court in Greene County on Monday as well. Her case has become a cause celebre. She’s a hero to some and the county a villain for arresting her.

State’s Attorney Goetten says the vitriol of some of these comments is “really disheartening.”

“I understand,” he told me, “that this is emotional to people, but the ‘good news’ story here is there are people like Steve Alexander out there who, out of his own pocket, maintains the health of the (surviving) horses until he can get them placed.”

Alexander is head of Central Illinois Horse Rescue. After the horses were discovered, the authorities assigned him the job of caring for and finding new homes for the survivors.

On Friday, he said he ended up with 26 horses, and all of them have been adopted. People from Jerseyville, Brighton, Springfield, Riverton, Sherman and other central Illinois towns stepped up to take the horses.

“I think I’ve made a lot of friends,” he says. “Horse lovers have come around to unite and take care of things. It’s great that everybody has responded the way they did.”

This has cost Alexander some serious money. He is still caring for four stallions that will remain on the Roodhouse farm for a few more days. The medical care, some done and some yet to come, is expensive,since no veterinarians are donating their services. They want to be paid.

Alexander would be grateful for any donations to help defray the costs. Check out his website (cilhorserescue.com) for more information, including his phone number and e-mail.

Like me, Alexander has been shaking his head over the angry, over-the-top comments on the web, but that’s not his worry.

“My job is to take care of the horses,” he says, “and let justice take its course.”

Everybody has a story. The problem is that some of them are boring. If yours is not, contact Dave Bakke at 788-1541 or dave.bakke@sj-r.com. His column appears Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

Mr. Bakke: When I found this story, there was no mention of the property owner’s name, there were no pictures attached. When I was asked to look into this thing, I initially declined because it was just one of a hundred animal abuse cases I’d been asked to “look into”. The pictures told the story. They were an eye-witness account to the devastating and torturous death these animals met. The pictures should have been posted and published in every fucking paper, not just this website. But mainstream media would rather hide the ugly truths.

People are livid, sickened, distraught, and wanting justice.

By your spin, Mr. Bakke, people are going to show up at the Court House with pitch forks and shank Kempf on the steps…or better yet…buckets of Kentucky Fried Chicken and not offer the porky bitch any. Unlike Kempf, Mr. Bakke, the people wanting justice aren’t violent. It’s natural to dream of appropriate punishment but there’s a huge difference between blowing off steam with words and grabbing a blow torch. However, I’m the same person IRL that I am while writing – I’d approach her and use every single word on her that I used here. And really, she gives a horrible name to cunts around the world – that’s just the shortest and most succinct word I could find at that moment.

I have to ask, what’s your angle? Are you attempting to help the perpetrator by blocking those willing to show up in support of the law? These “laws” that Kempf broke were set to protect the “victims” and people have every right to show up to make sure the court system sees how many are supporting “justice”.

But seriously, get your head out of your ass, Bakke. Surf the net a little more. What’s been stated here is nothing but a natural reaction to something so heinous. Your article made my pussy sick. There was no “fire” in which to throw gas, Bakke. There were two or three very pathetic local stories written. We didn’t throw gas, we STARTED the fire.

All of this would’ve been “ho-hum” had not this article been written in CC. Since all of the articles, with the exception of the ones written by Carmen Ensinger, were “there was a lady….she had some horses….she’s accused of neglect”…ladeefreaking dah, that’s it. The State Journal Register barely had a blurb about it, and now THIS, basically saying people are making much ado about nothing. Thanks for the support, DAVE!!!!!! The dead horses, thank you, the ones that damn near starved to death and suffered miserably through one of Illinois’ worst winters thank you, and all the potential animal-abusers thank you. Shut up people, let folks abuse and neglect their animals in peace, don’t make a fuss or cause any extra work for law enforcement, heaven knows they’re busy spending a year and a half staking out a pot smoker in Roodhouse.

“Horse lovers have come around to unite and take care of things. It’s great that everybody has responded the way they did.”

Does anybody think that all of the outpouring of GOOD as well as the bad (which is emphasized in this article) would’ve happened had this not been flamed as it was??? I’m sure a lot of the donations would not have been made, had people not KNOWN about the atrocity.

There were about 30 people. We stood at the 4 way stop coming into the North side of Carrolton with signs then moved into the courtroom. I think the weather may have kept more people from showing up, but it was still a nice crowd.

Since it’s going to be tried, all of you who’re close to the situation (have had previous ownership of the horses, adopted) should get a hold of the area’s State’s Attorney. Especially the lady who adopted two pregnant horses. Kempf’s father is telling people his daughter’s horses were old and on their last leg. This needs to be proven false, if there’s any paperwork out there.

“Greene County Circuit Judge James Day said Kempf’s attorney, Jerry Hooker of Mount Sterling, had made an entry of appearance and a plea of not guilty via mail Monday morning and asked that the matter be set for a pretrial and a jury trial in July.”

To Jennifer and everybody else that was there today, thank you so much for braving the cold to help stand up for justice. Sad part of the whole story is that Kempf still doesn’t think she has done anything wrong. It’s unfortunate that she didn’t put half as much effort and money into caring for these horses as she is in trying to prove to the world that she is right and everybody else is wrong. For as long as she attempts to drag this on, I will, like today, be there for my lost kids.

Good thing the public gets to decide her outcome instead of so called “authorities”. Now if they aren’t so crooked as to find people they can “pay to sway”, that is to persuade them to vote “not guilty”, she will held accountable. Takes so long for horses to starve. How can anyone do what she has done and not get found guilty? And to the person who is saying we ought to care more about starving children; the parents of those children just keep having sex and producing the children knowing they will starve. Horses do not have that type of thinking capabilities. They cannot think of hope. All they know is they are so hungry and there is no way to fill that void.

i love horses, and i honestly can’t believe someone would treat any living thing like how they were treated. I’m pretty sure if i ever saw this lady i would have to beat her until she was in as bad shape as the horses were. If she didn’t want to take care of them I’m sure she could’ve found somebody to take the horses. I can’t beleive they would even give her a trial by jury, she is obviously guilty of maltreatment. If someone did that down here in Arkansas where i am they would be in jail before they knew what was happening. Like i said i can’t beleive someone would even think of treating any living things like that.

Im quite sure asking for a jury trial was a tactic to make the states attorney more negotiable. The states attorney wont want to put a cash strapped state through the expense of a jury trial. Another way for lesbo kempf to walk away with little more than a slap on the wrist and a possible fine ! Another sad day !!

I’m not so sure it is a bad thing that she asked for a jury trial. Most people have pets and most pet owners view them as a member of the family. As prevalent as animal abuse is, the abusers are a minority in our society. I just hope the Dept of Ag documented things properly. If they didn’t give the state’s attorney good stuff to go on then there is no chance for any sort of justice. I think a jury could easily convict her, definitely less chance of them using political influence on one judge.

I’m hoping the jury gets to impose the sentence. I’m checking on whether this is likely to happen or not.

A couple of things:
First off, if found guilty the judge will probably be angry that Kempf took it to a jury trial, thus costing the county money. He’ll factor that in, and probably punish her more severely.

Secondly, unfortunately, jury members who have dogs and cats as pets rarely think of horses as “pets”. They probably think of them more as “livestock”. Hopefully there will be more women on the jury – as they may be more horse-friendly (you know, so many girls are “horse crazy” as kids, and are more likely to have watched horse movies like Black Beauty, etc.).

I would strongly suggest the the prosecutor contact this great company in Washington for some help. They are experts when it comes to abuse and neglect cases. The company is: http://www.chandleredwards.org/Home.html
Chandler Edwards may be able to help them with reports, expert witness information, etc.

What about the people that might be selected for the Jury? Any chance any of them are friends of hers,or just perhaps know of her? The town that I live in,you can be Best Friends with the accused,and still be on the Jury.Doesn’t make sense.

Hopefully everyone will keep making noise about the atrocity of this deal and the State’s Attorney will step up to the plate and prosecute this like he should. If they wheel and deal or this case gets dropped, the people will crucify him in the media and he might as well kiss another term good bye. He has a chance here to do a good thing, and at least make up for the crappy way this was handled so far. I’m personally going to have faith that he will. I hope he doesn’t disappoint.

Don’t look for the media doing anything. They initially wouldn’t publish Kempf’s name and wouldn’t link to the pictures nor publish one. The mainstream media will not publicly scorn an official for not doing their job. Unfortunately. No longer do the presses work for the people.

I hope everybody is happy that horses cannot be slaughtered in this country anymore. You can expect to see more scenes like this one. It would have been just as controversial if this woman would have euthanized these horses by shooting or drugs. like the guy in quincy who shot his dog because it like to bite. Too many double standards… what about the guy who was caught having sex with sheep..which is worse starving horses or raping sheep??

Perhaps there should be some kind of venue where owners who can no longer care for their horses and people who would be happy to adopt those horses could get together. Even a website where both could post what they had or could take might help.

it may be ridiculous but it is true. The guy from quincy was arrested for shooting his dog on cruelty charges, now it is illegal to fire a weapon in town but those weren’t the charges. Now if that dog had mauled a child would that be better? The sheep guy was caught “in the saddle” so to speak, it had been suspected for quite a while. That was swept under the rug, I don’t know how those laws are. This happened in an open pasture, the sheep stood still for him, does that make them consenting?

The venue for bringing unwanted horses together with good adoptive families is a good idea but it already does exist to some extent. There are multiple online horse sites such as midwest horse forum, Illinois horse online, the list goes on. All of the people on these sites are horse owners and horse lovers and I’m sure there would have been several of these folks step forward before this attrocity happened if they had known. In Kempf’s case, she had multiple ways of handling this situation differently but chose not to. She is a greedy, self-centered bitch and would have never in her dreams “given away” her possessions. In her mind, the one with the most toys wins.

Quote: “I hope everybody is happy that horses cannot be slaughtered in this country anymore. You can expect to see more scenes like this one. It would have been just as controversial if this woman would have euthanized these horses by shooting or drugs. like the guy in quincy who shot his dog because it like to bite. Too many double standards… what about the guy who was caught having sex with sheep..which is worse starving horses or raping sheep??”

Lol, I’ve never understood the arguement that just because you can’t send a horse to slaughter in the US, that means that more horses will be starved or abused. That’s just stupid. Even if you’re dead broke (or just dead lazy, like most animal abusers), it really doesn’t cost much to put a bullet in the horse.
And anyway, why the heck do you have horses if you can’t afford them, or don’t want them? It might take a lot of effort to find homes for your horses (I know, it takes SO much effort to groom a horse, take a few photos, and tape sale flyers up), but it is not impossible to do. Anyone who lets their horses starve is A) lazy B) mentally retarded or C) all of the above.
Honestly, the slaughter houses (or lack there of) aren’t the problems. It’s all the irresponsible breeders and owners who produce worthless horses, over and over again, and then decide slaughter is an easy option to get rid of the mess. No slaughter houses? Then it stands to reason that you’d be more careful about checking the quality of horses you want to breed. However, it appears that a majority of animals breeders in the US are without common sense, so they have just decided to continue breeding as they always have…
Again, how hard is it to humanely put down a horse, or at least shoot it? It isn’t terribly difficult, last time I checked.
It’s rather annoying that we don’t have a horse group willing to make a plan to take care of unwanted horses (broken down horses, or worthless horses), and then put breeding guidelines into place (like, OMG, actually having QUALITY horses bred together, horses that actually have decent body shape, and won’t break down at age 5, horses people actually want). I won’t even start to talk about creating a permit for horse owners (like that you actually need to know about horses, before buying one).

My point is that there will be public outrage if someone does elect to put a horse down with a gun.

Another point is at least when there was a slaughter market, there was always a salvage market for unwanted animals, the horse owner didn’t have to pay a vet to put one down, put one down with a gun and then make arrangements to dispose (bury) horses don’t fit in shoe boxes.

There have been several cases where horses have been turned loose to fend for themselves and starving.

There are two groups of horse owners just like there is two groups of harley owners, one group which can afford them and the other group which will do anything and mortgage everything just to possess one. I know alot of idividuals in the second group, they are always complaining about financial problems, but they keep overspending by keeping horses and never seem to learn until it is too late.

Coyotes ate on them. And Kempf makes over $117,000 per year. I think she could afford to buy food for her horses. It looks as though she eats well but I doubt her table food and mortgages come close to touching $9700 a months. Not around that part of the country.

She and people like her have psychological disorders where they “collect” animals like a person would collect stamps and keep them in a book. When I was growing up I knew a wealthy elderly lady who had at least 60 dogs in her house and on her property, she fed them but there was always health problems with the dogs. A few years ago there was a woman who worked for the humane society she had about 40 dogs kept in cages in her house and garage, many of these were considered rare breeds, one third were already dead and most of the rest had to be put down.

From what I’ve heard, this is not a “hoarding” situation – sounds more like it was conscious decision on her part to ignore the needs of these animals. She, or someone else who was going out there, knew they were dying – they covered some of the dead ones up with tarps.

At any point in time over the past several months, she could have attempted to sell or offered to give some of them to someone who could take care of them – she chose to ignore the situation.

I’ve just seen pictures of another Central Illinois case of starving horses. This time in Camden, IL. I looked it up on the map – it appears to be 1.5 hours NW of Roodhouse. I’ll try to obtain the pictures and the story. “Allegedly” the IL Department of Ag failed again. When I get info, I’ll link it.

There was another one around Camp Point several years ago – he also had a place in Schuyler County, Missouri and got charges brought against him there too. The worst part of that one was that he drowned his wife in the farm pond so she couldn’t testify against him and ended with convicted of murder!

@ron
As I stated to the last person who idiotically tried to link the closure of slaughter plants in the US to the neglect of horses…The same numbers of horses are killed each year… they’re just shipped to Canada and Mexico.FACT:
The number of U.S. horses killed in Mexico alone (so, not counting those killed in CANADA) in 2008 exceeded the total killed in the U.S. during the whole of 2004.

So, since the same numbers are being slaughtered, how did the closures affect neglect? It didn’t.

Oh, and don’t bother considering the ecological MESS slaughter houses create, and the tax drain on small towns… and the meat loaded with Phenylbutazone (among other drugs) which causes blood dyscrasias, including aplastic anemia, leukopenia, agranulocytosis, thrombocytopenia, and deaths.

Horses are NOT raised as food-chain animals, so therefore are not monitored and treated as food-chain animals.

As for bestiality, it is illegal in many states. Look it up. I don’t know about the case you’re talking about in particular, but why don’t you (a) actually explain what you’re talking about and (b) link to it? That just MIGHT help the conversation.

not a breed, do you mean that horses are being purchased at sale barns in Illinois and being transported to Mexico for slaughter?

There is a demand for horse meat and it has grown globally the past few years. I believe there should be a program for finishing drug free horses for consumption.

There is no link for the bestiality case, it was kinda of swept under the rug. The individual was charged with trespassing since he was going in another man’s pasture. I think the farmer didn’t want to be in the news. A few months later the sheep raper was arrested for public indecency and soliciting sex from an undercover agent at a state park.

First off, most horses going to slaughter come from auction houses.Most.

There are meat buyers out there that surf the internet looking for “free to good home” ads, or horses advertised for cheap. They lie to the owners and tell them the horse is for their grandchild / a companion / will be treated nice… etc. Then the horse is on its way to slaughter.

Those horses are transported to Mexico and Canada to be slaughtered for human consumption, mostly overseas.

Secondly, what do you mean “program for finishing drug free horses for consumption”? Do you mean raise them as food-chain animals for human consumption? If so, that is the only reason any horse should be slaughtered for human consumption.

If you mean let them hang out in a feedlot for six months while they “detox”, you’re sorely mistaken.
Phenylbutazone, along with several other drugs found in (for example) dewormers, are NEVER to be given to food-chain animals. They NEVER “detox” these drugs from their system.

Also, might I suggest that many, many people feel a bullet to the head (by someone who knows what they’re doing) in his own pasture is an acceptable end for a horse.

Yes, many people would prefer humane euthanasia by a veterinarian. But done properly the bullet to the head is fine. The reason I say “in his own pasture” is because most horses are not afraid there. Instead, horses are run through auctions, transported for sometimes days without food and water, then are slaughtered inhumanely.

I think anyone here, ANYONE would say that a properly done bullet to the head would be MUCH more preferable than slowly starving to death locked in a paddock they can’t get out of.

Thinkgoat bet you are not getting much cooperation in finding info from local “authorities” on the new case in Camden, IL, since I think Camden is located in Schuyler county. Keep up your great work and give em hell.

Your first link, which is from Australia and isn’t dated but I assume is at least since 2007 since they mention that slaughter has been banned in the US… they ASSUME there will be an increase: “If Japan is one of our biggest importers of horse meat it is reasonable to ASSUME that we will see an increased demand for horse meat processed by the SA and QLD abattoirs as Tuna Stocks continue to decline and prices rise.|

Your second link, from 2001(!!) again, assumes:
“Worried that the outbreak of mad cow disease in Europe COULD increase demand for American horse meat, they are striving to enact similar laws elsewhere.”

Your third link, AGAIN from 2001 is blatantly untrue today:
“The increased demand for horse meat is also pushing up prices for recreational horses because the horse’s salvage value is higher, he said.” Considering the price of “salvage value” has obviously bottomed-out. If there WAS such an increase, the value would be higher. Simple economics.

Your fourth link doesn’t even WORK.

And your fifth link I didn’t even bother really reading, since it too is from 2001 and just reiterates what the other obviously outdated and irrelevant links said.

@ Not A Breed – I was really hoping for a wiki link or two thrown in for good measure.

I’ve learned a tremendous amount from reading your posts. Thank you for finding us and sharing your knowledge.

Actually I’ve learned an incredible amount from reading many posts on here. I don’t foresee being a horse owner myself (I’m a small animal person currently raising sugar gliders) but your compassion and intellect is infectious and I thank you all.

Does anyone have an update as to how the adopted horses are doing – any pics available to see their progress?

While there are locations such as this one that are somewhat isolated and people don’t drive by everyday to see the animals there, there are just as many that someone sees every day and is concerned about an animal they see. Part of the resolution is to do as the people who took these pictures did – report what you see to the authorities immediately and don’t stop until something is done.

Aaah thinkgoat… I think I love you.
I like how you’re looking through this stuff to see some truth.

There is a lot of shit out there that the pro-slaughter activists like to say – but they never back it up with anything. Unfortunately, the “information” gets passed around as truth. It’s what they strive to do. Muddy the water. But then when they’re faced with cold hard facts, they won’t respond, won’t prove what they’re saying, and then bitch and whine and throw more shit out to muddy the waters. It is never a sane, logical, factual conversation.

Ron, the big bold OPINION at the top of the page should have been your first red flag. Also, there are very few FACTS. Rarely do they have to prove anything they even write when writing an opinion piece. Get it? Opinion? The writer quotes the president of French Fédération de la Boucherie Hippophagique who he met behind the market? Ok.

I can point out one “fact” in the article that is completely erroneous. Wanna guess which one?

Now I’ll rip apart a few things the writer said:

“The mythic image of the noble horse in American history has weighed most heavily in the anti-horse meat campaign in the United States.” Um, what? That is ONE argument used. I love how he picks the weakest argument out there too. Again, what about the ecological mess? What about the tax drain? What about the DRUGS? What about the fact most people consider horses PETS, not food animals?
Most recently the EU has been putting tougher regulations on imported horse meat in particular. Why? Because they didn’t KNOW the horse meat was tainted! They also didn’t KNOW the practices that are in place here for slaughter, let alone the practices shady meat buyers use to obtain horses.

And when the writer talks about the slaughter processes not being inhumane, he’s talking about European practices. So again, that is not touching on the subject of North American practices.

I’m outta here for the night and probably most of tomorrow… but feel free to throw some more “facts” my way to refute. I especially love that the only slightly current (it’s from 2008) article you can come up with that has anything to “back” your comments is an opinion piece. Show me FACTS buddy.

“Nobody supported it.” What? Nobody supported WHAT?? What the hell are you even talking about?

You ask if there is a link about the decrease in demand for horse meat… please point out where I said there was a decrease? I don’t recall saying that, and I just reread all my posts, and don’t see anything. I also searched the page, and the FIRST instance of the word “decrease” is in your comment directly above this one. So, either point out exactly where I supposedly said that, or quit trying to muddy the waters.

And I get your little sarcastic reference to Oprah telling people not to eat horse meat (which, BTW is two words, not one – see, I can be sarcastic too).

What is the problem here?

I’ll tell you what the problem is. You’re frustrated that (a) what you ‘believe’ to be fact has been proven not to be (b) you’re unwilling to let go of your stance even when refuted with PROOF that you’re wrong (c) since you can’t prove YOUR points, you are now just going to spout off bullshit arguments and try to muddy the water.

Dude, I’ve dealt with people smarter than you. Give it up. You’re wrong. Why don’t you just ADMIT it? It would be nice if for ONCE one of you pro-slaughter activists would just give it up and admit it. You’re W.R.O.N.G.

Since it seems you didn’t read any of the articles on my blog, I would like to refer you to a letter (I linked to it on my blog, I didn’t write it), written by the former mayor of a town, detailing a lot of what I’ve been saying. It is hands-down the BEST evidence about what I’ve been saying.

“Nobody supported it.” What? Nobody supported WHAT?? What the hell are you even talking about?

This is very straight forward, rehomehyourhorse posted that it is acceptable for a person to euthanize a horse with a gun on their own farm. I had made the earlier post about the guy who was arrested for animal cruelty when he shot his own dog (which had a biting problem)

Anyway, nobody responded to rehomeyourhorse’s post and agreed with it..

I read the article from the link, it sounds like a butchering plant from the 1800’s very bad conditions. The species of animal does not dictate these poor conditions, cattle, hogs or sheep could have been butchered there and the same environmental hazards would have been present with the mishandling of wastewater and unwanted animal parts. The reason for the corporation not paying tax was because they were a foreign company, this had nothing to do with horses. This is another reason that more people from the United States need to have the gumption to start their own businesses.

Ron, you and I are really the only people talking on this page. So, while no one “supported” the comment, no one has objected to it either. Have you noticed that?

And I think it’s a whole different story when you’re talking about a dog. I DON’T believe anyone would support shooting a dog, ever, no matter what. Take it to the vet and have it PTS. I agree it’s a bit of a double-standard, but I think a dog would be even harder to shoot properly in any situation. I mean, if it’s been known to attack, and is coming at you to attack you, shoot it. Otherwise, a trip to the vet is what is called for.

As for your comments regarding the letter I linked to… are you sure you actually read the letter? First off, it is only ONE year old. Secondly, she is writing about her direct experiences. This is not from the 1800s. It is NOTHING other than recent, relevant information about HORSE SLAUGHTER.

She even has this line in her first paragraph: “regarding the commercial slaughter of American horses”…

If you want to completely ignore the facts, ALL the facts, that’s your choice. Each fact on its’ own is more than enough reason to never start up horse slaughter again. ALL the reasons combined… you’d have to have an IQ smaller than my shoe size.

I think anyone here, ANYONE would say that a properly done bullet to the head would be MUCH more preferable than slowly starving to death locked in a paddock they can’t get out of.

People… am I wrong?

Nobody responded to this question which is why I brought up the lack of response as a lack of support…….Apparently I am the only supporter on this issue.

I disagree, I believe that many people think of horses and dogs on the same level or the horse at a higher level. But there are way more dog owners than horse owners. The guy with the dog wanted to save some money, he had a .22 rifle why pay the vet for something he could do himself. Should he have waited for the dog to attack someone? He didn’t want to do what he did, but he felt it was the best thing to do.

You misinterpreted my remark about the 1800’s slaughterhouse, I was simply describing the conditions described in the article as the archaic slaughterhouses in the mid-19th century.

Any and all of the negative facts (issues) concerning horse slaughter could be easily rectified. It is funny how you make it sound like butchering a horse will cause catastrophic environmental problems as if the horse is filled with toxins.LOL

You’re the only supporter on the issue of using a gun to put down a dog. I’ll agree with that. But there are many supporters of the properly done bullet to the head for a horse. Do I need to prove that to you? Go read the fugly blog, where hundreds of horse people comment daily… lots of agreement over there. There is agreement on my own blog…

As I said, the only reason there’s no response here is because you and I are the only two chatting. No one else is around. Hard to find agreement in an empty room.

As for the slaughter issue, no one is going to do it properly, it’s too expensive to “do it properly” – bottom line. Add to that you can not prove horses have never been given banned drugs, and it’s a no go. If you want to raise horses as food chain animals, where their care and drug intake are monitored like they do for cattle (farmers do NOT give their food-chain animals banned drugs), go ahead because it is the ONLY way it should be done.

And yes, if you don’t get that the toxins in the horses body and blood cause environmental problems, again… you’re just ignorant. I’m sorry, what more can I say? You just WILL NOT admit the facts.

Finally, here’s a quote for ya: “Also, during a radio interview, a NVF (edit in: NVF stands for Natural Valley Farms the slaughter house) investor and director admitted that 16 million gallons of raw horse blood was left in a retaining pond upstream from the Qu’Appelle River. “Bug tanks“ which contain bacteria to break down horses’ blood become ineffective as their blood typically contains antibiotics, which kills off the bacteria. The plant resorted to illegally dumping the blood.”
And video evidence: http://www.flixya.com/video/1554764/Natural-Valley-Farms-Illegally-dumps-horse-blood-i

Where did they dump the blood that wouldn’t break down? Illegally onto farmers fields. That drained into a river.

Ron, I do agree with you to some degree.I have had 4 dogs,and 1 mare put down by a vet over the years.I had the resources back then,that I don’t have now.I have 3 mares left,and they are my family.I have often wondered if I could shoot one of them if need be.I guess that question will be answered when the time comes.Hell,they will probably out live me.None of us can get in the mind of Stacy,or even comprehend her actions.I just hope she gets what she truely deserves.

I’d say it’s been an interesting “debate”, but for it to be a debate, there has to be at least two participating. It’s been (and continues to be) an educational experience for me and I appreciate all your time and effort.

I’ve not followed the new links to read yet (but plan on it) – the letter the mayor wrote was excellent. And disturbing. I’ve never thought about horse meat, never thought about slaughterhouses until your postings. This has been an eye-opening experience.

I agree, it’s not a debate. It’s more like me banging my head against a brick wall. Unfortunately, that is what it is like when you talk to pro-slaughter activists.

That letter is, like I said, by far the BEST evidence you could ever ask for.

I don’t know what else to do, as I’ve refuted every single thing ron has said with FACTS, but he is ignoring them and refusing to see the truth. It’s sad really. I wish I could get through to more of them.

Obviously you have a tough stomach, so you should be able to read that last report that I linked. It’s eye-opening to say the least. And ALL the slaughter houses in the US were like this. They’re still that way in Canada. Nothing ever seems to change, which is why, ultimately, they were just shut down. There is just no way on earth horse slaughter is (a) humane and (b) good for anything other than big business making money. That’s it.

Not A Breed,FYI I know very well what Kempf did to those horses!! And I also read what Ron wrote,and believe it or not I did understand it.So Get Over YourSelf Not A Breed.You give the impression you think you know better than everyone else,and can’t wait to pounce on anyone with a differing view point.

In case anyone reading this thread was unaware of why horse slaughter is significantly more unsanitary than beef, pork, etc.: a horse’s body holds twice as much blood as a steer/cow of the same weight. It’s impossible to create adequate waste disposal.

Twice as much blood also answers the question, “Other livestock are loaded with vaccines and meds, too. Why is their meat not considered toxic?” I’ll leave the holistic reply to my vegetarian friends. Since I eat meat, I’ll answer specifically. Twice as much blood supply means twice as much blood circulation through muscle meat. Twice as much vaccine, wormer, steroids, hormones, etc. gets deposited in horse meat as opposed to any other.

Not A Breed, you didn’t offend me…you pissed me off.I was talking about the three horses I currently have.I think everyone commenting on here does know what Kempf did to those horses.And your suggestion that I thought she had shoot them,is what pissed me off.

@ Dianna, Nicely done. I’ve read every single comment here and I had a hard time tracking 75% of Ron’s. Maybe you’re just really special.

I welcome Not A Breed’s posts. They’re filled with sourced facts (not merely opinion pieces). Not A Breed DOES know better than me, and I think it’s safe to say, you and Ron as well. Not a Breed has not come across as condescending to those of us who realize they’re much more knowledgeable. It’s all the “approach” I suppose. There was no “pouncing”. There was refuting of misinformation. HUGE difference.

Not A Breed, I’d be in favor of the expose. I’m clearly not the person to write the piece but I know someone who is. If you’d like, you may email me and we can discuss it further.

@ Dianna A simple comment pissed you off? Really? There are 330 comments on this thread – some of them think Kempf was too poor to feed her horses. There are varying comments left from people who’ve not read the article, have not read the comments, or who have the comprehension of a gnat. Toughen up a little.

I certainly don’t deny that shit. But the thing about my self absorbed attitude is I keep it in my own house, which you are visiting.

You may have a clue about what’s going on (your words, not mine) but you suck with your typing/writing skills and proper grammatical use. Go pick a fight elsewhere and leave the discussions to people who don’t get all twisted out of shape when corrected.

thinkgoat,I don’t believe I was being corrected on anything.Im not a high school grad,but that does not make me stupid.Im not trying to pick a fight.You stuck your noise in where it didn’t belong.
It sounds like your the one who is twisted and bent out of shape.Get over it.
Correcting my writing and grammar…is that the best you can do?

1) There is a space after periods.
2) There is this thing called an apostrophe. Look it up.
3) It’s “nose” not “noise”.
4) It’s “you’re” for ‘you are’, not “your” which is possessive.

Proper grammar and and writing skills are not always a sign of intelligence (which includes maturity), but it’s definitely one of them. Yes, there are highly intelligent people who do not pay attention to grammar and spelling, but somehow I doubt you’re one of them.

It is ThinkGoats’ blog. ThinkGoat can do whatever ThinkGoat wants.

And I believe ThinkGoat was correct in saying you got all bent out of shape when I corrected you. Actually, if anything, I was clarifying a couple of things. I certainly did not mean to make you angry or offend you. You came back at me very aggressively.

I dare say, I suspect you are either Ron trying to write differently (neither of you write well) or you’re his friend/girlfriend. I see that all the time too.

You see this is exactly what Im talking about.Your petty little smart ass remarks.Are you and thinkgoats twins?

I don’t point out peoples mistakes in grammar or spelling,as long as You understand what was written,whats the point,unless you are trying to demean that person? Which you are trying to do in this case,and in Ron’s.

Your showing your true colors.
If thinkgoat doesn’t like what Im saying,he can block me .I really don’t give a dam,one way or the other.

I’m betting girlfriend. If not yet, maybe they just hooked up from this site. Wouldn’t that be cool?

Not A Breed, I believe your assumption is correct. The spacing issue could be laziness but simple grammatical errors is lack of intelligence. Plus, Dianna seems to have no reading comprehension as she clearly didn’t take note of your helpful hints. What a pity.

@ Dianna Why would I want to block you? I love trolls. I especially like trolls who lose their shit so easily. They’re always so much fun to fuck with.

Diana, I have been watching as this thread devolves into a full blown troll stomping. The “petty little smart-ass remarks” are the first step in the process. Ron and yourself have been shown reason, sourced material, and the explanations of someone who has more knowledge in this area than any of us: all to no avail. You two are clearly impervious to appeals to intellect.

Your unabashed admission of being fundamentally uneducated does nothing to further your cause. The fact that you become “pissed off” when an honest mistake is made (caused in great measure by your inability to communicate effectively) is added evidence of your ignorance and feeble-mindedness. The simple and defective often react with anger when threatened or confused – especially when faced with with incomprehensible concepts, logic, and sourced facts.

If you are expecting things to become easier by continuing to be obstinate and aggressive you have a true schooling ahead of you. I have seen would-be trolls reduced to whining whelps when the ire of Thinkgoat, et al, is roused. Take my advice: cut your losses, and exit with as much dignity as you can manage to salvage. You are dealing with pros: it hits the gutter from here.

I am new to this site, so I’ve not taken part in “troll-schooling” in the past (meaning; not here or anywhere really). I have no problem arguing a point that I believe in, because I can back it up with FACTS. If I am proven wrong, I say “hey, just a second, I need to look into that because obviously I’m missing something here”. Then I come back with either an apology and admission of my mistake, or I further argue the point showing information that contradicts the theirs information. It’s called ‘having an intelligent conversation’ or ‘debate’.

I pointed out WAAAAAY up there that the common reaction with pro-slaughter activists is to ignore the facts, react in anger and muddy the water. That is all that is being done here, by Ron and Dianna.

Personally, I usually don’t point out grammar or punctuation errors unless it is because another person is pointing it out and makes mistakes themselves. I think that picking on someone for grammar and punctuation errors is akin to picking on a second-grade student for the same reason. Neither knows any better due to lack of education.

Lazlo and ThinkGoat are my two most favoritist people on the Internet that I’ve met in a very long time.

(And just in case you were wondering, “favoritist” is not a word, but it makes a statement.)

[…] Crime Crawlers wrote a piece on Stacy Kempf and her little house of horrors which I did comment on regarding the story. Then, an idiot pro-slaughter activist came along – as always – and comments to the effect of “this is what you get for banning horse slaughter”. I refuted that one (similar to below) but then a slew of comments later another idiot pro-slaughter activist comes along who actually puts up a fight. This entire argument has been copied and pasted with no changes (as you can see at the link above, with the exception of removal of extraneous information in the last three comments). This goes to prove my point that pro-slaughter activists use all the “Rules” that Equine Welfare Alliance listed. The following Rules were definitely used: […]

I often take the “your grammar sucks” path when someone has opened themselves up to it by personally attacking another user. It’s especially enjoyable when someone comes on and the first thing off their fingertips is: “your all stupid”. I get a tingly feeling just thinking about it. There are some who post here who cannot spell themselves out of a wet paper bag. I’ve learned seizure control and I’d never dream of saying anything. (For all you cordial and cool users who can’t spell, you know you’re safe!)

There are clearly users who comment solely to evoke a reaction. I’m always game. I like to win. I usually win – not because this is my house but I’ve plenty of experience in that arena. I also know when to shut the fuck up, I know better to talk out my ass while debating a subject, I know how to properly source material during said debate, and I certainly know enough to keep me from closing my mind, thinking I know everything. I’ve learned an incredible amount from people who’ve rubbed me the wrong way.

User comments set the tone. Always. If you wish to post with courtesy, you’ll receive courtesy. If you post with hostility, I guarantee, you’ll be met with hostility. I’m versatile like that. 😉

And Dianna, thank you for the compliment. Being Not A Breed’s twin would be pretty awesome as I find their postings both interesting and informative. I’d obviously be the evil twin that’s proving to be a bad influence: I think that’s the first time I’ve read “fucking” in a Not A Breed post.

OMG, really… I swear like a trucker. I try to keep my swearing to an absolute minimum when dealing with pro-slaughter activists. If you ever read any of my posts on my own blog, well, ’nuff said.

It’s sort of like this: I learned a long time ago that if you are the object of someone else’s road rage, the best thing to do is smile and wave at them. You know, that little-kid super fast wave back and forth with a big grin? Nothing pisses them off more.

This has been quite entertaining reading the destruction of ron and diane ! It reminds me of an old saying I have tried to instill in my children. ” Better to be thought a fool than to open ones mouth and remove all doubt ! Words to live by!

Baaah ha ha. I love how people don’t realize the blog owner can see who they are. Duuuh.

And Ron/Dianne/Harry whoever you are; all the issues can NOT be fixed. Not to create a slaughter industry that (a) makes ANY money and (b) deals with the “unwanted horse population” that so many of you pro-slaughter activists say slaughter is for.

It is not economically feasible. You can not create a slaughter house that is humane AND deal with the number of horses per day that supposedly “need” to be slaughtered. You can not create a humane slaughter house that can pay the taxes incurred when you can only slaughter so few horses / day. You can not create a humane slaughter house that can deal with the equine offal created on a daily basis (that includes ‘unused’ parts as well as the blood). You can not create a humane slaughter house that slaughters horses bought at auction because NO HORSE, UNLESS RAISED SPECIFICALLY FOR ITS MEAT, IS SAFE.

BTW, I never pointed this out, but it’s an extremely important fact… 75% of horses sold at auction go to slaughter.

Again, you make statements with no facts to back it up. Please, go ahead, show me a horse slaughter house that actually fixes all of the things I have PROVEN to be serious issues. You can’t. You can SAY you can, but you can’t PROVE you can. Can you? Again, making statements you can’t back up.

I switched to Harry since my comments weren’t being posted. There eventually were (about an hour later).

Getting off the subject does anyone know the scientific name of the “donkey dick” mushroom. I have tried to find it on the net but get nothing but porn when I type in donkey dick. I have spoken to people all over the state of Illinois and everybody refers to them as donkey dicks so it isn’t just a regional term.

Actually horses could simply be slaughtered at an inspected facility which is being used for cattle. The offal could be handled just like the cattle offal instead of piled up in the parking lot.

Switch back to Ron, Harry. I explained WHY your comment didn’t post had you actually read the comments. The same thing will happen with this account if you attempt to publish too many links.

It’s a bullshit excuse, anyway. You posted a handful of times after that comment was held in moderation queue a week ago. Switching to “Harry” was nothing but you trying to pull a fast one. Anyone who has nothing to hide would have stated they were one-in-the-same in the thread.

Ron/Harry I’d highly suggest ceasing your games. You have no idea where you are or who you’re feebly attempting to fuck with. I can promise you, those who’ve tried harder in the past have failed miserably. Lazlo posted a warning many comments back. Heed that warning.

I clicked on the post box and it said I had made that comment before. A few days ago it did the same thing and my comments weren’t posted at all and there weren’t any links that is why I switched, you can make all the excuses you want but it doesn’t change what actually happened. But feel free to go ahead with your childish name-calling.

You’re full of shit, Ron. You got pwned. You know it, I know it, everyone cruising this page knows it. You were entertaining but now you’ve worn out your welcome. You’ve nothing to contribute to this thread or this site. In other words, go fuck yourself. (which I’m assuming will be quite a chore since you seem to be so starved for attention that you have to develop new monikers and IP’s and attempt to glean attention) You’ve succeeded. You’re officially on my fucking radar. I feel sorry for you.

Is Ron really trying to tell the person running the show here that she is lying !!! He still hasnt figured out whos site this is has he ! I know he’s been told too many times to count ! I believe he is more interested in stirring up shit ! My understanding of the kempf house in Jerseyville is that they will be moving soon . They were in a rental and are moving ” to the country “, I hope that doesnt mean with land and horses !

Ron, you’re completely dense, aren’t you? I originally encouraged/suggested/fucking told you to use the “Ron” account. You didn’t read that. Now your comments are appearing in my spam queue. Get fucking lost. You lie, you troll, and you’re beyond ignorant, you’re a bloody idiot. Find a more hospitable site. Crime Crawlers is not your home.

I am sorry I was confused. I don’t know anything about any moderators, all I ever got was a message about duplication. The message that didn’t get posted did not have any links, I don’t know how it got lost and I thought the same thing was happening which is why I switched to Harry. How hard is that to understand?

Some people disagreed with my views and offered explanations for their views, but I did not find that information convincing enough to change my views and I have been insulted for not changing my views and supplying evidence which supported my views.

You know, I was going to refute a bunch of bullshit that Ron is AGAIN spewing (ONE example: “…again all of those issues could be corrected…)

But I have to just really say this:

You said:
“Actually horses could simply be slaughtered at an inspected facility which is being used for cattle. The offal could be handled just like the cattle offal instead of piled up in the parking lot.”

Seriously???? Even a person with Downs Syndrome (if you have half a brain you know who I’m talking about… let’s see, can you guess?) knows that’s not possible. Horses are different than cows. What fucking PLANET are you from? Have you ever noticed that horses are a little more flighty than cows (I note that the “person” I was talking about before equated deer with cows regarding their flight response)? Hmmm, could that cause a problem with running them through chutes and into the kill pen? Lets see, cows, who are raised on farms and REGULARLY run into chutes for their shots and dewormers, might be kinda USED to the chutes.

Horses, who are NOT regularly run through chutes (actually they’re NEVER run through chutes) react a tiny bit differently. Wow, I seriously don’t think even the CATTLE ranchers think horses can be slaughtered like cattle anymore. I think, literally, you ARE the dumbest person on earth.

And did you SEE what ThinkGoat quoted above, about horses have THREE TIMES the amount of blood that other livestock does???? So, imagine TRIPLE the blood to deal with FOR EACH HORSES SLAUGHTERED. Yeah, you can deal with it JUST LIKE CATTLE. FUCK.

And if you think, for one SECOND you could set up a horse slaughter plant and (a) make a living and (b) treat the horses even VAGUELY humanely… oh, and (c) for one second even deal with the offal, you really ARE the dumbest person on the planet.

Seriously, after the comment about not seeing anything that would change his stance…?????

ThinkGoat… you were a person who has never really been TOO much around horses, let alone owned one. You have seen Ron’s arguments, and you’ve seen mine. I see you have said that I have backed up my statements with factual articles, and you can really see some truth in them. Then you’ve read Ron’s statements, and you seem to see they’re more “opinion” and not really backed up with facts.

Can you reiterate that for me? Who do you think is spewing bullshit, from a complete layman’s (yours) perspective????

Ron, I would suggest that overall you have proven yourself to be full of shit… you make grandiose statements that you can’t back up – yet you call them FACTS. You are unwilling to even DISCUSS anything I’ve pointed out here, without resorting to muddying the water and being sarcastic and ignorant. Yet, at the end you say you’ve seen nothing to change your stance.

What would YOU say to someone whom you’ve shown FACTS and STATISTICS to, yet that person won’t budge from their stance???

Ron made an argument? I think I missed it. All I read was blah, blah, fuckingblah. That’s pretty much all I got from his pathetic attempts at sounding like he had something going on upstairs.

I readily admit, when slaughterhouses were first brought up here, I hadn’t a c l u e. I don’t proclaim to know a ton now, but I know a considerable amount more than I did a month ago. Why? Because I read your posts. Word for word. I followed the links you provided and read that information, I watched the video. I also searched for viable information on the opposite side of the fence, something that maybe I was missing, because having no slaughterhouses seemed to be too much of a “no brainer”. I couldn’t find anything that’d make me change the conclusion I’d drawn through reading the information that you set out coupled with the information (SOURCED facts) that slaughterhouses don’t exist here for a reason.

Ron/Harry is the worst kind of troll: A stupid one. He doesn’t care one way or another about slaughterhouses. All he cares about is getting a rise out of you for his own validation. He’s clearly shown he doesn’t have the aptitude to hold a discussion with anyone if it’s a serious subject. He’s too worried about mushrooms and whether he can use the “it was consensual sex” excuse when he’s caught fucking his sheep.

This is to remind everyone who has been following this tragedy to come to the Greene County Courthouse in Carrollton on April 27 (Wednesday) to show support for Janet Zimmerman. Zimmerman was charged with criminal trespass for taking food to the starving horses on the Kempf property after she saw one of her own horses there. She was stopped on a country road, handcuffed, put in the back of a squad car, taken to Greene County Jail and booked on a charge of criminal trespass – a misdemeanor, ironically, the 30 counts Kempf has against her for starving 13 horses and neglecting more than two dozen others, are also misdemeanors.

She pleaded not guilty and requested a jury trial. Scheduled for 9 a.m. July 18, ironically the same time as Kempf’s. I’ve heard talk about how Kempf is just going to get a slap on the wrist because the county doesn’t want to go to the expense of a trial – well I wonder how much this little fiasco is going to cost the county. It’s admirable to “follow the letter of the law” which the county is, but come on, use your freakin’ brain – the woman provided food to starving animals. Ironically, she will be in court the same day as the woman who starved them. I really don’t see any justice here.

Call me cynical, but the sad likelihood is that this hag will be allowed plead to a misdemeanor and keep her affluent prison job. At the least, she should be made to pay significant restitution, which can then go to the rescue organization that undoubtedly helped save some of these horses from an agonizing death.

Kudos to Ms. Zimmerman for doing the right thing, when so many local and government officials chose to wash their hands of it. Ex sheriff daddy’s laurels must still seem bright to some morons — god only knows why, when he just keeps his shop with his 2nd Amendment goons to mutually kiss each other’s backsides. And big surprise — no mention of this case in the Democrat Message either!!

I worked with and was friends with Stacey’s grandmother (Billie) for well over a decade, and she was a good woman with what I considered a rotten bunch of relatives who used. I’m not terribly surprised by this latest evidence of an incredible lack of empathy and compassion on one of their parts. Farm animal/livestock abuse sadly isn’t considered newsworthy or important as it should be.

Indiana is no damn better. We have turned in a guy once for starving his horses & they won’t to a damn thing to him. He moved them to a different county & again he was reported for a dead horse laying in the small pen with the others. So that made 3 dead in 2 different counties & 4 more on the brink of death. Just a bunch of lazy bastards not wanting to do any paper work. Makes me want to puke.

I agree that the legal system is too lenient towards animal abusers. It’s seen as ‘lesser’ than abuse towards humans; this ignores the fact that people who abuse animals often abuse humans, and vice versa. Look at how Michael Vick was welcomed back to the NFL.

Someone on this blog already mentioned it, but there was another central Illinois horse abuser, Lawrence “Bud” Wietholder. He was starving and neglecting his horses, received a minimal fine and had his horses removed, so he moved to Missouri and bought more animals. He was being again investigated for animal abuse when he murdered his wife (and disturbingly received a pretty light sentence for that as well.)

Got a question for you C-is it possible that Stacey has more horses hid over in Brown county? I called Dept of Ag when I first heard of this and told them to check out Daddy Dearests farm because I know she took horses over there when we first parted ways. I feel confident that the horses in Greene county were not her only ones. You seem to know the family very well, you are right, Billie was a nice lady, she always treated me very well. I felt bad about the way they used her and caused her grief every time she turned around.

C-I did call the Democrat Message over there with the story but I guess the paper is it’s name a Democrat, just like Daddy, just like states attorney in Greene County. I really hope that Ed Teefey and his right hand bitch Jennifer Suhling at the bank read some of the other papers that carried the story. I sure hope they are happy with what they helped create.

17yrsurvivor-not so much Ed, he was always conveniently “out of the office” but he as head of a business should be aware of what his employees do. Ms. Suhling knows what she did, at least half of these horses could have been spared this horror. I did really appreciate her calling my Mom when she was in the middle of her cancer treatments. Your name tells me you know what my Mom was going through and really did not need any added stress. Any one that helped empower this animal called Stacey should think and wonder if they could have or should have handled things differently.

I know this is a little off topic, BUT… Central Il Horse Rescue needs help again, they have 15 horses that need to be placed ASAP… They will have pics of these horses and all info on their website if anyone is able to help, please contact them directly.

Shelly-long story short, don’t trust bankers that are friends with your dirt-bag partner, unless of course you want to get it up the rear and lose everything you worked for, only for them to assist the dirt-bag partner in taking everything. Then a few years later this dirt-bag partner ends up starving your beloved horses to death. I know Ed is a horse lover and invests a lot of time and money in his race horses, I’m sure he has to be sickened by what Kempf has done.

To Ponixpress — I don’t live in B.C. anymore, have only one relative living there now, so I have no information if any of these horses ended up there (hopefully not). If I ever hear about that, I would report it to Jerseyville D.A.

The tragic thing is, this situation has all the hallmarks of repeating itself in a few years. Even with legal punishment, Kempf likely won’t be legally barred from owning animals for more than a few years, she’ll buy more horses from unsuspecting owners, and abuse and starve them. I’m at least hoping that this jury has some sensible heads on it.

This case will probably never REACH a jury. It was never meant to. Why do you think no felonies were tacked on. She’ll plea to a few of the misdemeanors and the rest will be thrown out. Greene County doesn’t want the expense of a trial and her side doesn’t want the publicity of one.
Sadly, those horses died and she will probably never pay for what she did to them. (Well, she might pay, literally, but those horses will never have the justice they deserve.)
I’m curious to see if she keeps her cushy state job.

The Jerseyville woman facing multiple charges in connection with up to 11 horse deaths in rural Roodhouse will go to trial.

Up to 11 dead horses were found on Stacey Kempf’s property in rural Greene County in February. A subsequent investigation led to her arrest on March 14th for nine counts of violating the Illinois Dead Animal Disposal Act, nine counts of cruel treatment of an animal and 12 counts of violating owner duties, meaning she failed to provide food, water and proper veterinary care for the animals.

Kempf isn’t a licensed breeder.

The pre-trial will be September 19th at 1:15 p-m. The jury trial will be October 17th at 9 am.

Here is the story from this week’s Greene Prairie Press. Go Judge Day!

Judge rejects negotiated plea agreement in Kempf case

By Carmen Ensinger

The Stacey Kempf case will go to trial after Greene County Circuit Court Judge James Day rejected the negotiated plea agreement between States Attorney Matt Goetten, Kempf and her attorney Jerry Booker.

Kempf made headlines in March when 13 dead horses in various states of decay were discovered on her property in rural Roodhouse along with more than 20 other horses suffering from neglect.

After an investigation by the Department of Agriculture and the Greene County Sheriff’s Department, Kempf was eventually arrested and charged with 30 misdemeanor counts including 9 violations of The Dead Animal Disposal Act, 12 counts of Owner’s Duties in that she failed to provide sufficient quantity of good quality, food, water and veterinary care to the animals and 12 counts of cruel treatment for “starving or otherwise abusing” the horses. No felony charges were ever filed against Kempf.

The plea agreement reached between the State and Kempf’s attorneys called for dropping all of the cruel treatment charges for starving the horses and seven of the counts of Owner’s Duties. Kempf would plead guilty to the nine counts of Violation of the Dead Animals Act and five counts of Owner’s Duties.

Under the terms of the plea agreement offered by the State, Kempf would be put on 24 months probation during which time she would not be allowed to own an animal, be required to pay a $25 month probation fee, receive a fine of $1,500 plus court costs, do 200 hours of community service with an animal shelter or animal rescue and make restitution in the amount of $802.70 to the Central Illinois Horse Rescue, which took care of the animals after they were discovered. In addition, a 30-day sentence in the Greene County Jail would be stayed as long as she abided by the conditions of the probation.

Goetten put Department of Agriculture investigator Stacy Ballard on the witness stand who testified that Kempf complied with all citations issued in that she buried the dead horses within the specified time on the citation. She further stated that a veterinarian from Ghrist Vet Clinic in Carrollton had come out and looked at the remaining live horses as was requested by the department.

Goetten questioned Ballard on the Body Condition Score (BCS), a method of determining the fitness of a horse’s body mass rating its body mass from 1 to 9, with 1 being very poor and 9 being obese. Most horses should receive a score in the middle.

According to the report prepared by Ballard, four of the horses scored a 2 on the scale which translates into a condition of very thin in which the horses shows signs of emaciation, ribs and vertebrae prominent and being able to faintly notice the bone structure.

Seven other horses were deemed “thin” with a score of 3 which means while they have a thin layer of fat over the ribs, and the ribs are still easily discernable and the tailhead is prominent. The other horses were scored in the 4-5 range.

According to an earlier interview, the states attorney said the reason no felony charges were filed against Kempf was because she provided some food for the animals, and that she lacked “intent” required for the felony charge.

Intent was also the basis for the dropping of the Class A misdemeanors of animal cruelty. “Animal cruelty requires showing the court that there was at least some intent behind the not feeding,” Goetten said. “Do you have any evidence to give to the court that backs that up?”

Ballard replied, “No.”

“The condition of the other horses that were low weight could be from a lack of food, is that right,” Goetten asked Ballard. “It is also possible due to other issues, is that correct?”

Ballard replied yes to both questions. “Parasites are a big thing,” Ballard said. “Horses have a lot of parasites, or with the amount of horses on the property it could be a low animal on the totem pole and the alpha horses got the food where the younger ones didn’t.”

In other words, while some food was being provided, it wasn’t sufficient for all of the horses and the more dominant horses edged out the younger or more infirm.

Goetten also brought up the fact that Kempf had forfeited the remaining horses to the Central Illinois Horse Rescue in Roodhouse thereby saving the county money by not forcing them to file forfeiture proceedings. Ballard also confirmed that Kempf continued to cooperate with CIHR after the horses were relinquished.

Kempf’s attorney basically just affirmed what the State’s Attorney had already established – that Kempf had complied with the corrective actions made by the Dept. of Ag and that she voluntarily signed over the horses to the rescue and continued to cooperate.

He did focus on the BCS rating. “If you come across a place that has some 3’s, you would typically give them a notice of violation, not a criminal charge, is that right,” Booker asked Ballard.

“Yes, we always give them the opportunity to fix the situation. If they did that, typically, there wouldn’t even be criminal charges brought,” Ballard said.

Kempf took the stand and testified on her own behalf, saying she didn’t starve the horses.

“My understanding is that the horses that were found that had died, some were very old and some even had cancer and they were not starved by you in any way,” Booker asked Kempf.

“No, sir,” Kempf replied.

Booker also asked Kempf to affirm that she had other people employed to care for the animals, as well. “There would be days they were supposed to come and feed and water them, is that right,” Booker asked. Kempf affirmed.

Booker also brought up the negative picture that the internet and different blog sites had painted of Kempf. “They painted a really bad picture of you,” Booker stated. “They indicated that the barn was locked and no one could get in there, is that true?”

“No, it has never been locked,” Kempf answered

Kempf also denied that the only source of water on the premises was a pond. “There was an automatic, heated waterer that worked,” she said.

Booker asked Kempf to affirm that in her 22 years with the Department of Corrections that she has had a spotless career. He also pointed to her charitable nature, asking if she donated to any charities. “I participate in a program at work where I give to four different charities,” Kempf said. “I give $1,440 a year and 25 percent of that goes to the ASPCA.”

Kempf was suspended without pay or benefits from the State of Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice on April 13, and remains on suspension. Booker said that even if the plea agreement was accepted, she had no assurance that she would get her job back.

After hearing testimony from both the prosecution and defense, which were similar in nature, Judge Day ruled that he would not accept the plea agreement and that the case was set for a jury trial.

Both the prosecution and defense approached the bench to talk with Judge Day. After a discussion, Judge Day announced not only would he not accept the plea agreement, but that there was no need to bring another plea agreement before the court.

“The court is not going to consider any plea agreement in this case until the trial is concluded,” Judge Day said.

A trial date has been set for Oct. 17.

About a dozen people showed up to show their support for the horses. Connie Booker of White Hall was one of them and she was thrilled with Judge Day’s decision.

“I think it’s great that the judge did his job and refused that plea agreement,” Connie Booker said. “I don’t think it should have ever been offered. It was far too lenient.”

Connie Booker said she is looking forward to the trial in October. “I would like to know when it comes to trial just what exactly she did to be so cooperative like everyone claimed,” she said. “Hopefully at trial they will have someone up there on behalf of the horses.”

Kempf sure didn’t need to go to the added trouble and expense of hiring an attorney, sounds like Goetten did a fine job for her. How much did he cost you Stacey? Thank you Carmen for putting it ALL in black in white in your paper, the other local papers have just totally dropped this issue. It’s all good to hire someone to feed for you but if there is no feed there for them to give the animals then what did she hire them for. If you remember, she had to call a neighbor to bring bales of hay when she found out Dept. of Ag was coming. They didn’t starve overnight!!!! I cannot understand how they could not prove intent, she had to have seen that they were getting horribly thin. In all of her experience (ha, excuse me while I laugh my ass off) with horses, she had to have realized they were not getting enough food. Old and cancer? Older horses, so with her experience, again ha, she would have known that they take better food and care. As far as cancer, did she have a vet out that diagnosed this, if so, the vet should be charged for not reported the condition of the horses. The only cancer here is Kempf herself. I hope all of the Inmates and their families come out the woodwork to prove how spotless her career was with IDOC. Wow, how generous, $1,440.00 in caritable contributions, from 117,000.00 per year, bet you got a T-shirt for that one, or maybe a tote bag. Sorry Kempf, your only defense is that you are a lazy, hateful bitch with shit for brains. Gosh, guess I haven’t put my paint set away yet Mr. Attorney, still painting a bad picture of her. Most people say I’m a pretty accurate artist.

Creative damage control, Stacey Kempf and associates! When you don’t have a credible defense, paint an internet conspiracy, make claims that can’t be verified, and try to focus on how her fat butt worked for the state and she gave a drop in the bucket to charity. She’s now the victim here, somehow. Hopefully, the judge does not go along with the ‘buddy deal’ that Goetten and Hooker appear to have cooked up, all because has-been Daddy Gerald Ray was once a cop and that makes her butt gold by proxy.

The internet hasn’t ‘painted’ a distorted image of an accidental situation — the images of animals in her care that she abandoned and neglected long term is sufficient enough. The pittance that she supposedly donated to charity — why wasn’t some spent on feed for her animals? If some of these horses actually had terminal illnesses or were incapacitated by age, why again didn’t she hire a vet to euthanize those animals, instead of allowing them to suffer to death?

And with her allegedly ‘spotless’ work ethic, how exactly did these horses end up this way under her ownership? Anyone with such a good work ethic, even if they had hired help, would have been regularly checking up on their animals.

I was reading also that they provided information to the judge that many of the animals that died were very old or very ill – I would think that would be information that would not help her (and evidently didn’t help her) – not feeding an animal in good health and not providing vet care is one thing, but not feeding or providing vet care for animals that are old and ill is even worse!